crabbing w/ row boat

R
redsox0407
0
Hey all, i just bought a 12 ft aluminum boat and it might be a few months before we can afford a motor for it. My question is am i out of my gord to think i could row aroung yaquina bay in a row boat to set some crab pots. Has anyone ever done this or is the current to strong? i've crabbed of off the dock and seen some current but nothing that i would say i couldn't row in. anyone got some insite, i'd greatly appreiciate it.
 
I would never think about doing that. My life is worth more to me than a few crab.
Would you be going by yourself? What would you do if you hurt one of your arms pulling in a crab pot?

Chances are you would put yourself in a position of needing recue, then whomever respond to you would be putting themselves at risk.

My opinion is your should save your money and outfit your boat appropriately.
 
Last edited:
If you are smart about it I think you will be fine. Only go out at slack tide BEFORE the incoming tide. The outgoing tide would take you with.

Ohh, welcome. fyi you do not need to post the same question in multiple places to get an answear... pick the most relevent and stick with it.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Troutski
I don't know Yakina Bay, but I wouldn't even think about it if it's like SF bay, or any of the others I frequent.
Mother nature can get you into so much trouble so fast. Unless the boat is coated real well, alum should not be in salt water. No power to help out. I'm in a 12ft boat....
I don't think a few crabs is worth it; and I love crab.
I hope you find a crabbing buddy, anyone who wants to go that bad...
 
Not sure about an actual row boat but I have done it many times in a 9' fishcat, and now a 10' outcast. Don't go on windy days or days that might turn windy, go in and out with the tide, don't anchor and have at least a couple extra sets of oarlocks (I have broken two on one outing). Oh and don't forget your Wheaties!! It's a tough row definitely, but not too bad if you just stay around the fingers. I got a fat head one day and decided to go out past the jetty in the 9 footer seeing as it was a super calm day and a very light outgoing tide. Even then there were some pretty big rollers and I made a point to never do that again!! :rolleyes:

My advice would be if you have any apprehensions at all don't go. At the very least, get out of the marina and don't go past the highway bridge until you get a real sense of the wind. I know from personal experience that the wind can kick up on you thus preventing you from getting back before the tide turns and once that happens it is a BRUTAL row to get back to the marina. Have the CG on speed dial!

The thing about Yaquina is that the wind almost ALWAYS blows in one direction, and to stay out of traffic you have to take this route:


The general route is in yellow. Too far north of it and you're too much in the way, too far south it gets shallow. Of course you can go past the first finger but I WOULD NOT recommend it on your first trip. In red you can see my safety spot behind the south pillar of the shipping lane that I use if the wind kicks up and I need to rest before I have to turn directly into it in order to get up and around the fishing pier and into the marina.

Do not try to cut your row short and slip under the pier. It's tempting but never try it. It's a good way to get hung on an errant rope, or jammed and unable to get back out.

If you are late getting in and the tide is turning back out it's a good idea to stay out of line with the fishing pier once you get around it in case you break an oarlock or have some other problem with your propulsion. You will get sucked right back under the pier if you don't. Unfortunately, I have done exactly this. 30 mins after sundown, late in the fall and alone. I was stuck under the pier and holding on with one cut up hand while I used the other to replace a broken oarlock in the dark as a large tidal change was trying to suck me into the chest high cross section on the other side of the pier. I was under there for at least 5 mins and two attempts trying to get out, and by the time I did my hand was all but numb up to my elbow from all the junk on the pylon getting into the cuts and I could hardly row with it. My pontoon suffered a 4 inch long gash when I initially smacked the first pylon but thankfully in didn't rupture the air bladder. A VERY COLSE CALL!!!!! Be VERY careful, and always consult your tide charts and the CG for the weather. :naughty::naughty: People die inside the jetty just fishing off the rocks. Remember that!
 
Last edited:
Thanks all for your replies, there all greatly apprieciated. I've been rowing since i was a kid. i'm 35 yrs old and consider myself in very very good physical condition. That been said i'm not an idiot out to put my fellow armed forces at risk to rescue my ignorant #$@!. i would only be puting the boat in inland of the marina and wouldn't even think about going past the public fishing peir. Basicaly inland of the marine hatfield center.Does this seem doable. And agreed no crab is worth my life but man i don't have a lot of dough and i love to crab, just trying to do anything but crab of off that pier. Thanks guys, i apprieciate all of your responses.
 
Oh yeah you could definitely go up from the marina, just roll with the tide and you're golden. The wind gets broken significantly by about the CG station and from there on up it's pretty easy. I mean obviously depending on the day. If there's a hurricane coming I would hit KFC and go out another day :D

I over-emphasized a lot of points simply because of how terrible it would be to send some guy out who ends up getting killed.. better safe than sorry when it's salty you know but your obviously capable of taking care of things just fine. Good times, and don;t forget to let us know how you did!!
 
Last edited:
Make sure to take an air horn with you....maybe even 2 or 3 of them.
 
Well the tides look good for tomorrow. 10:30 am is high tide @ 5.3' and low is at 2:40 pm @ 3.9'. thats less then 2 ft. Winds are forcasted @ 4mph. I'm gonna do it!!!!! Oregonchris won't agree with me but i can't see a better time to do it. if it all works out maybe he'll go with me next time. GraphiteZen, i use google maps a lot but how'd you get the topo of the sea floor? the terrian option only works on land. Thanks all for all your insite. I'll be that guy in a rowboat out on yaquina bay tomorrow. :):dance:
 
Have Fun and get a lot of crab! I am picking up my new cab pots today, I wish I was out there using them.
 
I hope the crabbing went well. I went out with a buddy down here and set 4 traps. Dungy closed june 30, but we can get legal rock crab. We got a few, but there was LOTS of dungy in the traps. It might be a good year come november...
 
We regret to inform you that user id "redesox0407 " was picked up by the coast guard early friday morning off of the southside jettie of yaquina bay. Around 10 am an incoming call was recieved by the Newport Coast guard station ID#23654 for a young "very in shape" man in a 12ft aluminum rowboat experiencing absolutly zero problems with the current tidal exchange. After responding the young good looking man was sited for violation of the newport harbor "No wake Zone" regulations. Capt. Rusty Barnicals of the USCG stated" I don't think i've ever seen a row boat go that fast, heck there was accually a wake behind the dam thing, but laws are laws and regardless of the vessel size and we are here to enforce them." Capt. Barnicals then started chuckeling to himself and said " what really amazes me is that redsox0407 caught his daily limit of red rock. when he was sited he was hauling 78 lbs in red rock crab. I dare to say that he could out power most 1.7 HP outboards."

All in all redsox0407 said the rowing experience was good, no troubles, just 100X's more work then expected.
 
:D Well I sure hope he learned his lesson!
Glad to hear it went well, were there any dungee's taking the elevator?
 
redsox0407 said:
We regret to inform you that user id "redesox0407 " was picked up by the coast guard early friday morning off of the southside jettie of yaquina bay. Around 10 am an incoming call was recieved by the Newport Coast guard station ID#23654 for a young "very in shape" man in a 12ft aluminum rowboat experiencing absolutly zero problems with the current tidal exchange. After responding the young good looking man was sited for violation of the newport harbor "No wake Zone" regulations. Capt. Rusty Barnicals of the USCG stated" I don't think i've ever seen a row boat go that fast, heck there was accually a wake behind the dam thing, but laws are laws and regardless of the vessel size and we are here to enforce them." Capt. Barnicals then started chuckeling to himself and said " what really amazes me is that redsox0407 caught his daily limit of red rock. when he was sited he was hauling 78 lbs in red rock crab. I dare to say that he could out power most 1.7 HP outboards."

All in all redsox0407 said the rowing experience was good, no troubles, just 100X's more work then expected.

What a great story. I was hoping someone would take you. Can I go with you?:lol: I know how to drag up a crap trap.
 
No keeper dungeoness?
 
Great story

Great story

:clap: :lol: :clap: :lol:
 
3 dungy. 2 right at 5 3/4 and one monster. I must have pulled up 50 7" FAT females. in all i probally pulled up 200+ crab. what a differance from the dock, lol. i have pics but they wont upload?????
 
haha nice job! Glad to hear it was worth the effort ;). Sometime I'll have to tell you the story about the day I forgot a pen for my tag and ran my toon up onto the beach right there by the CG boat dock, climbed the rocks and jumped the fence buy the rear entrance..... I didn't think you could fit three of those guys through a door at one time :lol::lol: Super nice though.
Glad you had fun!!!
 
To upload pics, make sure they are JPG, click the paperclip looking icon next to smiley and browse for them. Try that.
 
Photobucket.com works well for me.
 

Similar threads

F
Replies
2
Views
275
Fishnsleep
F
RiverWalker
Replies
6
Views
1K
TheKnigit
TheKnigit
F
Replies
15
Views
2K
Fred
F
bass
Replies
1
Views
1K
fromthelogo
fromthelogo
plumbertom
Replies
5
Views
2K
plumbertom
plumbertom
Back
Top Bottom